Capital Budget includes new Sherwood School and replacement for Hillsborough Hospital

Finance Minister Allen Roach has tabled a Capital Budget for 2018-19 that he says will see the provincial government invest more than $134 million over the coming year in the areas of education, health, transportation and communications technology.

Roach says an investment of up to $30 million over the next three years will be made in a fibre network to improve internet access to all communities across the province.

As for schools, the Capital Budget includes a new Sherwood Elementary School, which will see construction begin in early 2019; and new additions to the Stratford and Lucy Maud schools in Queens County and a full expansion of École-sur-Mere in Summerside. In 2019-20, construction will start to provide additional classroom space at West Ryality elementary.

Roach says Government has also accelerated plans for a new, modern mental health campus to replace the Hillsborough Hospital. He says planning is underway and $60-million will be invested in the project over the next several years. Construction will start in 2018-19.

Roach says almost $53-million will be spent in 2018-19 on improvements to bridges and highways, equipment and buildings. He says some of the planned projects for this year include continued work on the Trans Canada Highway extension, a major re-design of the mason Road intersection in Stratford, and 128-kilometres of road resurfacing.